Gentle reader, it has occurred to us that two issues presently concerning the powers that be in the Federal District, namely the invasions of privacy inherent in the collection of citizens’ telephone calls and electronic transmitted messages, and the perilous state of the Post Office might both be resolved by one simple solution: You want to send a message? Write a letter.

On This Week with George Stephanopoulis, Sunday, 28 July, 2013, Georgia Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss was asked by the interlocutor whether he would be surprised to learn that National Security Agency (NSA) people had listened in on telephone conversations.

Francis Scott Key’s poetic response to America’s victory at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 is officially known as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was officially designated as our national anthem by congressional resolution signed by President Herbert Hoover in 1931.

In my youth, learning the lyrics to this iconic bit of history was akin to learning the Pledge of Allegiance.

I once lived at the base of Mingus Mountain in central Arizona.
Mingus separated the folks of Cottonwood, where I lived, from our friends and neighbors to the south in Prescott.
Both sides of that rugged, broad-shouldered mountain were beautiful. We didn’t share the Sonoran Desert landscape that defines Phoenix and Tucson. There was no saguaro cactus pointing this way and that.

This was high desert, with grasslands, scrub oaks and deeply scented forests of juniper and pinion pine.
Summers are tricky in these parts.

It appears from reports emanating from South Africa that the life of Nelson Mandela is probably nearing its end.

Considering the awful mistreatment to which he was subjected in his younger years, including imprisonment on Robin Island for over two decades, it is a wonder that he has survived into his nineties, but this shows that the strength of his body is almost as great as the strength of his mind, his spirit, and his integrity.

By GARY AYTES
Roane County Schools director
The State Report Card was released this spring, so it is a good time to update our citizens on the status of Roane County Schools.
The report card shows academic improvement and also shows many areas for growth.
Our greatest improvement was in math, where we received an A in value-added scores and a B in achievement.
Our goal this year will be to maintain the A and improve our achievement score.

By KEN YAGER
12th District State Senator
There is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in Tennessee.
Several of these state parks are located in the 12th Senatorial District, including Indian Mountain in Jellico, Cove Lake in Caryville, Frozen Head in Wartburg, Norris Dam in Lake City, Cumberland Trail in Caryville and Pickett in Jamestown, as well as the Alvin C. York Historic Park in Pall Mall.
In fact, the 12th District may have more state parks located in it than any other.

The Constitution of the United States, Article 3, Section 3, Sub-section 1, says: “Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or, in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.”